An Indigenous fire workshop at Wujal Wujal this week will look at the link between fire and climate change and how it impacts the Great Barrier Reef.
Wildfires release many tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere every year as carbon dioxide.
The increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a major contributor to global warming.
The workshop, held annually on Cape York, teaches traditional fire practices which can help reduce excessive carbon release through wildfire.
Cape York NRM’s operations manager Peta-Marie Standley said that the relationship between wildfire and climate change was clear.
“Fire and water are connected at both a global and a local scale,” Ms Standley said.
“Traditional Indigenous fire practices involve low intensity fires to manage country, and avoid these large wildfires by reducing wildfire conditions.
“Frequent high intensity fires can also increase bare ground accelerating the potential for erosion.
“Gully erosion has been a major problem on Cape York, and a key contributor to the sedimentation to the Great Barrier Reef off Cape York.
“However low intensity fire leaves fine and coarse woody debris and importantly, the organic matter and ash remain at the site.
“This in turn increases the carbon in the soil and improves soil condition.”
Cape York NRM has been working with CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology and James Cook University to plan for the impacts of climate change on Cape York.
“We have undertaken detailed projections for the Forest Fire Danger Index for Cairns, which is comparable to Wujal Wujal,” Ms Standley said.
“The projections show that the current rises in fire conditions for our region are further increased under climate modelling.
“We will present this work at the fire workshop, so that the rainforest communities can plan for climate change.”
The workshop concludes on Friday.
